


step out into the wild

by irwah



Series: gaycation [1]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Michael, Feelings, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Grinding, M/M, Top Ashton, and michael and ashton are having trouble communicating their emotions, coming in boxers, implied daddy kink (is that a thing idk), lol how do u tag, they're in bali
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-04-14
Packaged: 2018-05-17 08:15:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5861122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irwah/pseuds/irwah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'“Have you always been this clingy? You definitely weren’t this annoying when you were sixteen.”</p><p>Michael grunts and drags Ashton’s hand into his hair. “Only ‘cause I thought you were hot and didn’t wanna scare you away.”</p><p>Ashton’s relieved that Michael can’t see the blush on his cheeks, however the tail end of his fond look is caught by a damp Calum who’s smirking at the end of his sun lounger.'</p><p>Or: bintang bros become bintang boyfriends</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. a beautiful storm in your eyes

**Author's Note:**

> hi hello hey EEP this is my first chaptered fic and im MEGA EXCITED ABOUT IT.
> 
> I've been wanting to write Bali!5sos since the day they landed there but i had finals and gross adult responsibilities so i wrote very brief notes everytime i thought of something and here we are a month later with the beginnings of a fic! I'm also planning on writing another work within this series which is gonna be ot4 which is exciting TOO ANYWAY sorry enough blabbing its 3am lol i need to sleep
> 
> oh and fic title (and chapter titles) inspired and taken from Lewis Watson's Into The Wild aka my favourite song on the entire planet

Ashton walks back to his room in just a pair of boxers, assuming that he won’t see anyone in the corridor at this time of night. Can it even be called a corridor, this weird funnel made of twigs and branches? This is the best hotel he’s ever stayed in but he can’t help but wonder what would happen if the branches suddenly snapped and all six stories of his best friends and band fell to the rainforest floor. That would probably trump all the bad Rolling Stones article related press they’re currently receiving.. 

He walks quickly along the tunnel and tries not to step on the cracks in the branches, feeling four years old again. He roughly dries his hair off with the small hand towel that had once been folded into the shape of an elephant. He smiles to himself at the memory of Luke bursting through his door clutching a monkey shaped towel, cooing at how awesome it was and muttering about whether the maids would make him a penguin if he asked nicely.

Speaking of clingy bandmates, he stops a few metres away from his room and sees the slither of light coming from beneath the door. Strange, he had purposefully turned the light off when he left, a trick Alex had taught him to keep the insects at bay. As he nears the wooden door he hears a weird sound coming from inside and begins to panic. It might be a serial killer that’s found him through his instagram locations?? Or maybe a giant tarantula that smelt his fear and also somehow managed to turn the light on?? God this heat is really going to his brain.

He holds his breath when he pushes open the door slowly, towel clutched in his hand to use as some kind of weapon against the trespasser, but breathes a sigh of relief (and fondness) when he realises that it isn’t a serial killer, nor an oversized arachnoid covered in colourful, poisonous spots; just an oversized band member covered in red, painful blotches.

Michael is lying face down on Ashton’s bed in just his horrendous swimming trunks, groaning softly and nuzzling into the pillows. The older boy sighs as he shuts the door and dims the light, walking over to the bed and stroking Michael’s hair softly.

“We live in Australia, how could you possibly get this burnt?! Like we’ve literally evolved to be in the hot sun all day.”

The redhead turns his head to the side to face Ashton, a frown pulled across his eyebrows and that’s when the tanned boy notices the colour of Michael’s face matches his hair and gasps as he perches on the edge of the bed.

“I know, I know, I know okay I’m an idiot! I promise I put suncream on this mornin-” he pauses at Ashton’s incredulous glance. “No, I did! I just forgot to put more on after going in the sea and Crystal said the sun was probably low enough in the sky it wouldn’t burn me.”

“Yeah, well,” Ashton chastises him, “Maybe you should take advice from your band or people who’ve actually known you for more than two days and know that you burn easily...” His voice tails off as the redhead looks up at him smirking, hand reaching for Ashton’s in his hair and removing it so he has to look him in the eye.

“Are you...are you jealous?” His eyes search the older boys face intently, that glimmer in the corner of them telling Ashton that he’s in trouble. A slight frown pulls across his eyebrows as he blushes slightly, voice coming out higher than usual.

“Jealous?! Why would I be jealous? It’s cool that you’re hanging around with Crystal and all the others, they’re all great and we’re all having such a good time, it’s just..”

He looks down, aware that he’s probably said too much and prepares himself for Michael’s infamous teasing. He’s surprised, however, when Michael says nothing and instead nudges his hand with a bottle of after-sun and wriggles closer, pressing his hot skin against Ashton’s bare thigh.

Ashton sighs in an exasperated way but it’s useless, both boys know Ashton’s a sucker for Michael’s pout and will jump at any opportunity to look after him in some way. Would do almost anything if it meant looking after any of the boys, but especially Michael. Recently it feels like Ashton spends his life caring for him, telling him to wear a warmer jacket, waking him up gently with enough time to shower before they leave, catching his eye across the room and smiling reassuringly when he’s nervous. It’s just what he does, how they’ve always been since the start and he likes it. Thinks Michael does too, they complement each other that way, Ashton calms Michael down when he’s over excited and Michael pumps Ashton up when he’s down.

That’s why it’s been weird in Bali, spending time with such a large group of friends when Ashton is used to it being just the four of them, hell, mostly just the two of them whilst Calum and Luke head out to a house party or bar in whichever city they’re in.

He turns around and opens the bottle of moisturiser, warning Michael that it’ll be cold when it touches him. He spreads it on his hands and starts to rub it into the redhead’s back, soothing the sore skin.

Michael hums softly beneath him and turns his head to catch Ashton’s eyes, honesty in them when he says “I’ve missed you too, Ash. It’s nice seeing all our friends but we are desperately in need of some quality Mashton bonding time.”

Ashton screws his face up in disgust and pats Michael’s shoulder lightly to tell him he’s done.

“Please don’t call us Mashton, s’weird.” He sees the other boy’s hurt face and wriggles down the bed so they’re lying parallel and rubs his nose against Michael’s throat as an apology. 

“Ash and Mike works just fine...” 

Michael pushes him away with a grunt, missing the feeling of hot breath on his throat immediately.

“Why is your name first?!”

“Because I’m the eldest and the most important.”

“Yeah but I was in the band first...shall I tweet and ask the fans?” Michael reaches into his pocket but before he gets to his phone Ashton has grabbed his hand and pinned it to the bed between them.

“Don’t you dare! Can’t wait for that shit-storm. You know how crazy they are about the whole shipping thing already.”

“Awhh Ash, can’t bear it that no-one voted for Mashton in that interview? Jealous that no-one thinks we’d be good together? That you’re not boyfriend material?”

He mumbles something that sounds awfully like ‘ouch’ and leans away from the redhead, all banter left and now a sickly silence filling the room.

“Wait, fuck, Ash I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry, you know I’m shit with my big mouth. I wasn’t referring to umm, to her at all...”

He strokes his fingers through Ashton’s loose curls and cuddles up behind him, the older boy’s back to his front.

“It’s okay,” He grumbles, always one to diffuse an argument before it begins and also knowing Michael genuinely didn’t mean it.

“We can talk about it, if you want? About her and what happened? It’s been weeks and I want to help, if you want me to…”

Ashton turns back around to face Michael but won’t meet his eyes, a sure sign to the redhead boy that something’s seriously wrong. Ashton’s a lot of things, but shy isn’t one of them.

“It’s okay,” He repeats, finally meeting Michael’s eyes when the other boy huffs at his unconvincing response, “No, it’s…I’m okay. It’s weird as hell and hopefully she and I will get to talk about it at some point. It’s difficult because obviously we’re still friends and it’s probably better like this but like, I still love her, y’know? I mean, I think I do. I don’t really know what I’m meant to feel, how I’m meant to act around her. It’s just…weird.”

Michael leans forward and kisses Ashton’s cheek, lips lingering briefly, letting him know he’s there without words. A thing the two of them have always managed to do.

“Thank you, babe.” Ashton whispers into the space between them and okay, wow, ‘babe’? That’s new. As is the racing of his heart and the clammy feeling in his hands.

He suddenly feels too hot, too aware of Michael right next to him, concern in his eyes and cheeks flushed from their proximity. 

He clears his throat and rolls away, missing the hurt flash across Michael’s face.

“God I forgot how hot it is this side of the equator,” he gets out as his heartbeat slows down marginally. “You should probably sleep in your own bed unless you want us to both wake up a sweaty mess.”

He’s surprised at the redhead’s silence and braves a glance up at him to find a massive smirk plastered across his face, any sign of affection or worry gone.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He says as he licks his lips in the least attractive way Ashton’s ever seen. “Everyone wants a piece of this…” his seductive voice turning into a hiss as he runs his hands over his chest, forgetting about the sunburn.

Ashton bursts out laughing, any worry or tenseness from the room gone.

“You’re a fucking idiot. Go on, go be burnt in your own bed.”

“But Ashyyy,” He bats his eyelids, using the pout he knows Ashton can’t resist. “I can’t, there’s loads of bugs in there.”

“Well, did you turn the light off whilst we were out like I told you to?”

Michael pouts further but counts Ashton’s endeared tone as a victory and leans up to grab the thin sheet from the bottom of the bed before pulling it over the two men.

“No, I forgot, but luckily I have a wonderful, handsome, generous bandmate who lets me share his bed with him in my time of need.”

Ashton rolls his eyes, “Yeah, a bandmate that’s exhausted, hot and cranky and expects you to remain on your side of the bed the whole night. No cuddling. I mean it.”

Michael recognises the boy’s tone as the one that’s normally reserved for when his bandmates are bickering over the last piece of bread in the morning and the car is already outside waiting. He decides not to push it as Ashton’s seemed tense over the Bryana thing for a while now and the older boy is notorious for his grudges. So he runs a hand through Ashton’s hair one more time before shuffling back to his own pillow and breathing out a ‘goodnight, Ash’.

Ashton hears his breathing even out almost immediately and is somewhat relieved that he can avoid Michael’s gleaming eyes and flirty mouth. He lies awake for half an hour after Michael’s fallen asleep, thinking about lots of things, but mostly about the fact that he’s certain Michael’s bedroom light was off when he’d walked past it earlier.

Xx

When Ashton wakes up, he’s unsurprisingly covered in a hot and sweaty Michael, their legs intertwined and the sunburnt boy’s face scorching his chest where it’s lying. Ashton feels so hot he can’t breathe but he also can’t help the fond sigh that falls from his lips as the redhead grumbles in his sleep and nuzzles closer to him. And his breath does definitely not hitch when Michael’s lips scrape against his skin.

Gently moving as to not wake the peaceful boy (who would be anything but peaceful if woken before noon), he presses his phone to illuminate the screen and checks the time. 8.46am, a text from Calum asking if he’s still up for their 9 o’clock jog and one from Luke asking if he’s seen Michael. He types out a quick affirmative response to Calum and pointedly ignores the other text, telling himself the uneasy feeling in his stomach is just hunger.

He soothes a hand through the red hair as he slowly untangles himself from the other boy, not an easy feat but one that he’s become accustomed to after four years in a band with koalas. Having somehow left the bed without waking Michael, Ashton breathes a sigh of relief that turns into a hitch of breath when he sees that the younger boy has changed position and is now cuddling Ashton’s pillow as if it was the man himself.

His heart races in the unfamiliar way it did last night and he swallows, his mouth suddenly dry. He shakes his head, grabs a pair of shorts and trainers from his suitcase and heads out the door to meet Calum.

Xx

An hour and a half later, Ashton is showered, fed, watered and stretched out on a sunbed. Calum and Luke have been competing for who can make the biggest splash and some of the group are buying beers from the bar. 

Ashton grabbed a bunch of magazines from the lobby on the way to the pool but his so called friends have taken most of them. All that’s left is Good Housekeeping and one called Discover that’s covered in pictures of space. It’s not a hard decision and within minutes he’s deep in an article about climate change and is memorising facts and figures to impress his friends with later.

Before he knows what’s happening, the sun is blocked from his bronzed stomach and a mass of pale pink skin falls against him, knocking the magazine from his hand.

Ashton isn’t even that surprised, is even less when he feels the redhead wriggle on top of him until he separates his legs and lets Michael sit between them, back pressed to Ashton’s front.

“Have you always been this clingy? You definitely weren’t this annoying when you were sixteen.”

Michael grunts and drags Ashton’s hand into his hair. “Only ‘cause I thought you were hot and didn’t wanna scare you away.”

Ashton’s relieved that Michael can’t see the blush on his cheeks however the tail end of his fond look is caught by a damp Calum who’s smirking at the end of his sun lounger.

“Sleep well, Mikey? Your room looked awfully empty when I went to piss in the middle of the night…”

Ashton feels Michael shift above him slightly uncomfortably and glares at Calum for upsetting him. Then he realises what he’s doing and smiles sheepishly.

Brian shouts from the pool for Calum to leave the lovebirds alone and grab the ball from the grass, so the brown boy just shakes his head and mumbles something about how gay his band is before heading back to the pool. 

Ashton pushes a grumbling Michael to the side as he leans over the sunbed and grabs a plate of food from beneath it, offering it to a beaming Michael.

“Oh my god, Ash! You’re such a good wifey.”

The older boy glares at him but can’t help but admire the fact that Michael is looking at him like he hung the stars.

“S’nothing,” he bats, reaching for his magazine and ignoring his thumping heart. He appreciates that he can hide his face behind the intellectual magazine rather than look at the man who keeps causing his cheeks to heat up. 

He gets lost in the world of melting ice sheets and rising sea levels once again until he notices how quiet the area has gotten and looks up to see everyone leaving. Michael stands up abruptly and declares that they’re going to the beach for some photos if he wants to join.

Ashton declines politely and realises now would be a good time to see Bryana and maybe actually talk to her about things other than how pretty the sunset is. But then he spots the still red skin on Michael’s back as he walks away and can’t help but shout after him, Father Of The Band mode kicking in.

Michael saunters back, snapback on backwards, flipflops smacking on the stone floor.

“Missed me too much?”

“You are literally ridiculous. Shut up and let me put suncream on you, you actual child.”

Michael is about to protest but Ashton flicks his red arm lightly and he squeals, admitting defeat and sitting like he was earlier, his back to Ashton’s front.

Ashton licks his lips subconsciously at the expanse of Michael’s back and has to swallow down the urge to lightly kiss his shoulders. He literally needs to get his grip together this second before he has a nervous breakdown in front of Michael and ruins the band. He takes a deep breath and pours the suncream onto the other boy’s shoulders, trying to rub it in in the least sensual way imaginable.

Of course the little shit still moans pornographically and then cracks himself up laughing, always a sucker for smutty jokes.

“Stop being an idiot and turn round.” He says sternly, voice only wavering slightly when Michael all but grips Ashton’s thighs as he shifts, nails digging in to the tanned skin.

When he repositions himself, the two boys are face to face, thighs overlapping and Michael practically in Ashton’s lap. Miraculously Ashton remains somewhat calm, but he thinks the minute the redhead leaves he’s maybe going to have a heart attack. 

He busies himself putting suncream on his hands, warming it up slightly before putting it on Michael’s face. His heart is overcome with fondness when Michael leans into his hand on his cheek, reminding him of a cat. Ashton smiles at him and cups his other cheek when he’s finished, running his thumbs softly over the apple of Michael’s cheeks. Michael licks his lips and Ashton’s eyes drop down subconsciously, noticing the shiny red lips just centimetres from his mouth. It’s such an intimate moment, a tiny voice in the back of Ashton’s mind is telling him to stop, to push Michael off of him, to run and bury his head in the sand. 

But another part of him is suddenly realising that he’s never craved someone more, never felt like he might collapse if this person left him, like the world is so much brighter when Michael’s near. In those few seconds Ashton has two terrifying realisations. 1. He’s attracted to boys. 2. Specifically, he’s attracted to boys named Michael with red hair and glimmering eyes and a tendency to relate everything to blowjobs. And wow, blowjobs, what an interesting topic to be thinking of when Ashton’s sitting here, on a fucking sunbed, Michael in his lap, leaning forward.

But before he can even process the events and thoughts of the last ten seconds, Michael is closing the space between them and gently pressing his lips to Ashton’s. It’s just a soft touch, barely even constitutes as a kiss because Michael pulls away slightly after two seconds, enough to breathe into the space between them. 

“Is th-” He’s cut off by Ashton’s lips against his, his face turning to the side slightly to get a better angle. He presser further into the redhead, invading his space more, head spinning by the proximity of the two boys. He can smell the suncream he’d just applied to Michael’s face, mixed with Ashton’s peach shower gel Michael must have used in the shower this morning. He doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing but he knows that he wants more, more of this, more of Michael.

The kiss is strong, warm and comforting, much like Ashton is and Michael relaxes into it, finding it impossible to feel anything but safe. He can almost feel the cogs turning in Ashton’s head, the panic about to set in and he rests his hands on the other boy’s chest reassuringly, feeling his steady heartbeat beneath his hand.

Ashton’s hands move from cupping Michael’s face to the back of his neck, toying with the hair there, pulling him further into his lap. Kissing a boy isn’t as different as he thought it would be. Michael’s lips are incredibly soft and pliant against his, letting him take the lead in an uncharacteristic way compared to his normal domineering personality.

Ashton’s starting to think that there’s a lot of things he doesn’t know about Michael. Like how he’s such an incredible kisser and why they’ve never done this before. Why he’s kissing him now when he could’ve been kissing him last night. Why his tongue feels so incredible as it parts his mouth, asking permission but also taking the initiative.

It all feels so amazing Ashton feels cold when Michael finally pulls away from him, eyes still closed, chest heaving.

“I, um, I think your phone is going off?” He poses it as a question, like he’s unsure of its accuracy, despite the fact that both boys can clearly hear the chiming of Ashton’s mobile on the table next to the sunbed.

Ashton smiles abashedly, eyes glazed over slightly, as if he’s replaying the last few minutes in his mind. Michael doesn’t blame him, he can’t stop thinking about it, about how Ashton tasted like coffee and mints, how Michael fitted perfectly in his lap, how he wishes he’d done that years ago.

The older boy reaches for his phone and is about to answer when he misses the call. Michael doesn’t mean to be nosey, doesn’t really care who it was but when he sees a missed call from ‘Bry’ flash up on the screen, he can’t help the disgruntled sound that falls from his mouth.

Ashton’s still staring at his phone, as though he has a missed call from Obama or something and Michael uses the awkward silence to extract himself from the other boy, refusing to look at his flushed face or raw lips.

“I’m, um, I’m gonna…” He gestures in the direction of the beach half-heartedly as Ashton looks up, eyes finally focussing on Michael.

“Right, sure, I, I should probably ring her back…” His eyes look down to his phone again, fingers already typing in his password to return the call.

Of course he is, returning the call, of his ex-girlfriend who he’s still in love with, who is funny and sweet and charming and can open a beer bottle with her teeth and is a fucking supermodel.

Fuck, of course Ashton’s calling her, he loves her and Michael’s just some dumb kid he’s known since he was 16 with a stupid haircut and a horrendous fashion sense. He takes his phone out of his pocket and drops Calum a quick text that he’s not feeling well and will see him later. He walks to his room, collapses on his bed and falls asleep with the feeling of Ashton all over his body and that of rejection in his mind.


	2. it's dangerously wonderful

Calum has just cracked a beer and is walking into the seating area to grab a table when Michael appears, hair wet and hand clutching his phone.

“Hey man, where’ve you been?” Calum asks, clapping the redhead on the back with his free hand and guiding him to an empty table. The bar is slowly filling up with holiday makers, music turned louder for the evening of entertainment the hotel had advertised. Calum makes sure to get a table big enough for most of their group, signalling for Michael to drag a few chairs over.

“Just, y’know, in bed.” His curt response lacking any sarcasm or jokes is what makes Calum look at his face properly. He notices his slightly swollen eyes and bitten raw lip.

“Bro…” he begins, sitting opposite Michael at the table, eyes trained on his face, frowning at his best friend of 9 years doubting that can’t tell when he’s not okay. “Is this about, um...”

Michael’s eyes shoot up quickly, confirming Calum’s beliefs that what he saw by the pool earlier was less than innocent. He doesn’t know what’s happened or what’s been happening, but he knows Michael’s had a crush on Ashton since the day he stepped into the granny flat in Michael’s garden. And since tour, despite his best efforts to cover it up, Calum’s seen the way Ashton looks at the redhead.

His mind flashes to the glimpse he got of Bryana and Ashton involved in what looked like a heated argument. He’d assumed they’d been bickering about stupid things like they always used to but it dawns on him that maybe this was something more concerning. Maybe he should talk to Luke about it, get some new ideas on his Sherlockian discovery. And Ashton too. Maybe they should all sit down and discuss what the fuck is going on.

“I, umm, I saw him and Bry talking earlier…” Michael’s eyes narrow and Calum’s not sure if he should go on, but the silence continues so he does too. “They looked pretty, like, I dunno, I think they were argui-”

“I don’t wanna know.” Michael snaps, mouth set in a firm line when Calum looks up.

“I don’t wanna talk about it coz I don’t care. I don’t know what you think’s going on, but it’s probably not. Honestly, I’m okay, Cal. I promise.” Calum shoots him an incredulous look.

“You know I’d tell you if it was something serious. I just wanna get blind drunk – hey, as my best friend you can’t deny me that!” He says as he sees Calum rolling his eyes. Michael spots Luke walking towards the bar and hollers something about a cocktail before running after him, all emotion momentarily forgotten.

Xx

It’s about 2am when Ashton hears his door creak open, hears the soft footsteps of someone walking towards the bed. In his slightly drunken state he worries that an actual serial killer is here forreal, but when he hears a loud thump and then Michael’s slurred ‘fuck’ as he stubs his toe, his heartrate settles. Only marginally though, considering the fact he’d successfully avoided the redhead all evening and he’s now inevitably going to have to talk to him.

He refuses to turn the light on, partially to prevent inviting mosquitos in but mostly so he doesn’t have to look into Michael’s inevitably sad eyes.

“Mikey?” He croaks out, voice slightly ruined by the Sambuca he’d been coerced into shotting earlier (totally Calum’s idea, obviously.)

“Yeah babe, it’s me.” Michael purrs out, making Ashton feel things he really shouldn’t. The drunk boy stumbles his way towards the bed, automatically knowing which side was Ashton’s. He clambers in beneath the sheet, not even asking permission, somehow losing his shirt and shorts on the way.

Right, so Michael’s horny, that’s why he’s here. Ashton clears his throat and tries to think of something, _anything_ to say.

“How’s your sunburn?” There, a safe topic, something Michael can’t possibly flirt about.

“Why don’t you feel it for yourself?” He slurs, feeling around near Ashton’s body until he finds his hand and touches it to his face. Ashton feels him breathe a deep sigh when their skin connects. Shit. Maybe Ashton’s not the only one feeling _things._

But no, the things Michael’s feeling are purely physical. He flirts with everyone, always. It’s just his thing (and probably why he’s so good at getting laid). Ashton used to resent him for it, even awkward, 16 year old Michael had more game than the three other boys put together.

Ashton’s heart is racing in his chest and Michael can probably feel his palm getting sweaty against his face. It’s like the pool earlier, except it’s not. It’s scarier. Ashton felt somewhat in control then, felt Michael’s apprehension, but here, it’s Ashton who’s out of his depth.

He’s in bed half naked, a similarly half naked boy pressed to his side with a sinful mouth and a tendency to get handsy when drunk. Ashton remains still as the redhead shuffles down the bed so they’re in line and the little shit snuggles against him, trapping Ashton’s hand between his hot face and the pillow.

Ashton’s used to being forced into a cuddle, it’s a daily, if not hourly occurrence in his band. But this feels different considering his recent _developments_ re his emotions. He lies still, allowing the redhead to press closer, lips dangerously close to his ear.

“Can’t stop thinking about what happened earlier…” Michael whispers in the most sinful voice. The way his voice tails off has gotten Ashton’s dick stirring in his boxers but he swallows loudly and acts dense, a tactic he’s found to get him out of many-a situation.

“What, the fireshow on the beach? Yeah, it was awesome.”

Unfortunately, Michael knows him too well, knows this tactic and manages to work with it.

“Yeah, it was so hot, Ash, got me sweating. And then I thought back to the sunbed, to me on your lap…”

“Michael.” Ashton swallows, attempting a serious voice but instead coming out with a squeak. He takes a breath and thinks about what Bryana advised him earlier, about being honest. The alcohol’s clouding his judgement though, telling him to shut up and follow Michael’s lead. No. “We’ve got to talk about what happened. Like actually talk.”

Michael runs his hand down Ashton’s chest and hums.

“I am talking. Telling you how good your lips felt against mine. Couldn’t stop thinking about it when I was in the shower, thinking about you, the outline of your dick in your trunks.”

Ashton makes a quiet noise high in his throat and Michael takes it as an affirmative. He shifts closer, his entire body lying along the length of Ashton’s, lips grazing his ear as he talks.

“Was imagining you pinning me down on the sunbed, in full view, where anyone could see. Imagined you fucking me, making me feel so go-”

“Stop.” Ashton says firmly, every nerve in his body protesting as he shifts away from the other boy, cheeks on fire.

“Just wanna kiss you again,” Michael pouts, already inching closer to him again, pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“Mike, we have to talk about this.”

“Don’t wanna talk, just wanna get off.”

Ashton laughs at his bluntless, would call him out if he didn’t also have a fire of want in his stomach. Michael leans closer again and Ashton lets him, just watches with bated breath as the other boy slowly puts his hand on his hardening dick, smirking when he feels it twitch in interest.

“Oh, did that talking really get you going?”

He blushes but can’t deny it, can’t deny what Michael’s sinful mouth does to him.

“M’too drunk to talk now, don’t know what’s real and what’s not, just know I want you.”

Ashton sighs dramatically, deciding he’ll talk to Michael in the morning when their heads are both clear. He’ll wake the other boy up with a fresh orange juice from the bar, no bits, how he likes it, and they can talk through everything.

Michael shocks him out of his thoughts as he straddles him, immediately pressing his arse against Ashton’s dick, starting to rock slightly. He leans forward and kisses Ashton’s lips lightly, contrasting all of his actions since he entered Ashton’s room that evening.

“Tell me you want this.” He whispers into the space between them, eyes nearly crossing as he searches Ashton’s intensely.

Ashton can smell the alcohol on his breath, knows his can’t be much better, but realises he’d still want to kiss Michael even if his breath smelled like leeks. And god, Ashton hates leeks. It suddenly clicks that Michael’s waiting for an answer so he nods fiercely and whispers, “I really, really do.”

That’s all Michael needs to encourage him to connect their lips again in an aggressive kiss, shocking Ashton into kissing him back. He tastes like whiskey and something inexplicably Michael, and Ashton can’t get enough.

Michael’s hands are in his hair and he’s grinding down against him and if this continues Ashton’s going to come like, embarrassingly fast. He tries to slow down the pace, hands creeping up to Michael’s hips to still him but the redhead misreads and thrusts down particularly hard, punching a moan out of the two of them.

Ashton takes the opportunity to regain control, easily lifting Michael into his arms and flipping them over, never once disconnecting their lips. Michael’s hair fans out on the pillow and he pulls away from Ashton’s lips, panting against his cheek.

“Ooh, feisty.” He raises an eyebrow. “Am I finally getting to see Daddy Ashton that every teenage girl dreams of?”

Ashton barks out a laugh, almost headbutting Michael in the process, his giggle making the redhead’s smirk turn into a fond smile.

“No, you dickhead, and if you make me call you babygirl then you’re out of here.” Ashton bites back, suddenly comfortable that they can make jokes during whatever this is.

“Stop talking and kiss me, _Daddy._ ” Ashton reaches and snaps Michael’s boxers against his skin, revelling in the way the redhead arches up into it, clearly enjoying the pain. He silences any response from Michael by continuing their kiss.

It’s different, this time, with Ashton on top, leading the kiss. It’s hot and fast and desperate, but also heavy and slow and delicious. It’s the perfect balance between the two boys, the mixture of their two personalities, their feelings. Ashton lets his tongue slide into Michael’s mouth and almost moans when he feels Michael’s against his, hot and slick and messy. Michael sucks on his tongue and Ashton’s giddy with the feeling, letting himself lower on his forearms until he’s lying flat against the boy beneath him, crotches pressed tightly against each other.

Michael groans, shifting his legs until they’re circling Ashton’s hips, feet digging into his bum and pulling him in tighter. Ashton set’s a punishing pace, grinding down just at the right angle so Michael can feel his dick between his cheeks and Ashton’s stomach on his dick, just two thin layers of boxers between them.

The kiss is getting lazier, both boys breathing harder, finding it more difficult to coordinate their mouths and the rest of their bodies.

“How do you…how do you wanna do this?” Ashton gets out, kissing along Michael’s jaw, loving the scratch of stubble on his lips.

“Like this, like this is good. Just want you, Ash.” The sincerity in his eyes and voice make Ashton lean forward and kiss him again, a sweet peck on the lips.

“Good,” he laughs, kissing down Michael’s throat, letting his teeth scrape against the pale skin, thrusts getting more forceful. “I don’t think I could stop right now if I tried.”

Michael bucks his hips harder and starts whispering sweet nothings into Ashton’s ear before grabbing him punishingly by the hair and dragging his lips back to his.

Ashton can tell the other boy is near by the flush across his chest and the frequent whines coming from the back of his throat.

“Are you gonna come for me, babe?” Ashton whispers, barely recognising his own voice, husky and deep.

Michael nods, speechless for this first time in all the years Ashton’s known him. He’d tease him if he wasn’t currently otherwise occupied. Ashton lowers his head, licking at a particular spot on his neck before biting down hard, gripping and sucking the skin between his teeth. He feels Michael come between them, feels a flood of warmth just above where his dick is.

The heavenly sounds Michael makes as he rides his orgasm urge Ashton on, chasing his own high as he pushes Michael up the bed with his thrusts.

“Ashton,” he gasps, a break in his voice, the tone something Ashton’s never heard before from the boy beneath him. It’s like a whine but it’s also velvet, it’s caramel and Ashton wants to hear it every day for the rest of his life.

That’s what sets him off, makes him rut fast and hard against Michael as he comes in his boxers. His forehead nudges Michael’s cheek until he gets the idea and kisses him, his small hands covering Ashton’s cheeks, rubbing his jaw as they kiss and come down from their highs.

They kiss lazily until Ashton can’t hold himself up anymore and collapses onto the boy beneath him, knocking the breath out of him.

“Fuck.” Is all Ashton gets out, rolling bonelessly onto his side when Michael half-heartedly pushes at his shoulder. “I can’t believe you just made me come in my boxers. I haven’t done that in years.”

Michael laughs, preening at Ashton’s insinuation that it was Michael who made him come, not just the warm body beneath him. The thought turns bitter when he thinks that the last person who probably made Ashton come was Bryana. Right.

Ashton rolls to the edge of the bed and reluctantly stands up, kicking his boxers off and grimacing at the mess they made. He grabs a towel from the floor and wipes himself down before throwing it to Michael. Walking over to his suitcase he grabs two clean pairs of boxers and pulls one on, shyly passing one to Michael with his eyes looking down, avoiding looking at his soft dick.

He shuffles into bed beside Michael and awkwardly pulls him into a half hug, kissing his forehead before snuggling lower beneath the sheet. Michael pliantly allows himself to be cuddled, always one for post-coital affection despite the circumstances.

But when Ashton’s eyes are shut, he mutters something about orange juice and them talking in the morning. Michael feels sick to his stomach when he thinks about the morning, about what Calum told him earlier, about how Ashton’s confession is probably going to be that he’s still in love with Bryana and just needed some emotionless sex.

Michael lies motionless, stomach churning, until he feels Ashton’s breathing even out next to him, a soft snore coming from his nose. The redhead carefully climbs out of the bed and walks away from Ashton feeling awful for the second time that day.

Xx

When Ashton wakes up his eyes blink a few times, momentarily confused as to where he is. His blurry sight focus on the faint light coming through the window and he remembers that he’s in Bali. He registers a slight headache in the back of his skull as his eyes drop to two pairs of discarded boxers on the floor. Shit.

He thinks back to the events of last night and remembers almost everything, remembers Michael all but seducing him, remembers the way he said his name, remembers promising him orange juice and a serious talk. He rolls over, anxious to see the shock of red hair on the pillow next to his and almost gasps when he sees the bed is empty.

As if in a shitty film, he touches the side of the bed, where the indents from Michael’s body still remain, and isn’t surprised to find it cold. Okay. So Michael left. He didn’t even sleep here. Probably didn’t want to have to deal with the emotions of the morning.

Ashton shakes his head, feeling like a prize idiot. Of course sex was all Michael wanted, all he needed when drunk and handsy. He feels sick when he thinks about how good it felt, how much he wants to do it again and how his ridiculous emotions are probably going to ruin the band.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY


	3. the only one that pulls me in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE DELAY my degree has been getting in the way slightly (how rude) but HERE'S AN UPDATE (it's happy!!) THANK U FOR BEING PATIENT
> 
> also massive thanks to [besty](http://airplenes.tumblr.com) as always for putting up with me shouting abt this 24/7 and prompting me when i dont even know i need prompting
> 
> ALSO LISTEN TO [THIS SONG](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-tcyHTH6LM) WHILST READING I PROM YOU WONT REGRET IT
> 
> okay see u all later in the week for final chapter xxx

Calum’s eyes squint at his phone in his hand, the cheap knock off Ray Bans he’s wearing doing little to filter out the Indonesian sun. He aims his phone in the vague direction of the temple, tapping the shutter button in hopes that the photo is somewhat decent.

His friends are scattered around him, posing for photos and reading the inscriptions on rocks around the grounds of the temple, taking in the culture in a way they don’t normally get to do when they travel the world with their jobs, glamorous or not.

He lifts his sunglasses onto his head to look at the photo he’s taken and realises that he’s caught Ashton in it, gazing thoughtfully across the water. Calum’s noticed how much quieter Ash is this holiday, how he always seems to be thinking of something, bright eyes hazy. Calum knows it takes a while to wind down after their hectic schedules but they’ve had a Christmas at home to relax too. Although Ashton’s was spent with Bryana…

He thinks back to the argument he witnessed from afar, a few days prior, and then remembers that Ash insisted on sitting next to Bry in the van on their day trip today. Maybe they’d made up, but he’s sceptical, Ashton has never been one to back down easily and he’s seemed distant all day.

Calum quickly opens Instagram and selects the photo, choosing an appropriate filter (something slightly dark and faded, he’s trying out an artsy Instagram theme, inspired by Alex of course). The cloud just above the temple looks awesome and Calum is quite proud of himself as he walks over to Ashton to show him.

It’s not that surprising that the curly haired boy is in a world of his own when Calum approaches, he’s not even taking photos and making them all pose in stupid ways like he normally does.

“Wanna go for a wander?” The brown boy says, nodding in the direction of the path around the outside of the temple.

Ashton looks up and glances across at the rest of the group before nodding solemnly, gesturing for Calum to lead the way.

“So, ummm,” Calum begins when they’re out of ear shot, suddenly feeling shy about talking to his best friend, even though he knows it’s a conversation they need to have.

“Yeah?” Ashton frowns at him, eyes rolling at Calum’s tendency to make sure Ashton is okay at all times.

“I, err, I overhead you and Bry arguing the other day and I was just wond-”

“Arguing? We weren’t arguing…”

“It sure looked like you were…Near the pool? Behind the trees? Your arms were flying around in that way they do when you’re arguing?”

Ashton’s eyes cloud over as he thinks back to that afternoon, how he’d asked her if they could talk and how she’d smiled sweetly, and touched his arm, how he’d expected to feel fireworks like he used to, how he didn’t.

_He remembers how she’d sighed when he said he’s been thinking a lot, that he feels confused but that he thinks he still loves her._

_“How can you say that you still love me when you look at Michael like that?!” She said, still oozing calm in that wonderful way she always did, the way Ashton loved._

_Ashton frowned, confused as to why Michael had anything to do with it._

_“Like what?” He snapped, arms raised defensively._

_“Like,” she sighed, beautiful eyes dropping to the floor. “Like how you used to look at me.”_

_Ashton’s face fell, the pit of his stomach churned at the thought that he’d ruined everything. He couldn’t help the overwhelming desire to hold her close and quickly wrapped his hands around her shoulders, face buried in her hair._

_He took a deep breath and began to apologise but she cut him off._

_“No, Ash, it’s okay. You know how many times we’ve been through this, how many times we’ve had the same argument, the same loneliness from opposite sides of the world. I just don’t think we’re meant to be, not right now, at least.”_

_She wrapped his arms around him and squeezed his shoulders, kissing his chest gently._

_“You know what I always say; when you find something that truly makes you happy, you’ve gotta cling onto it. And Ash? I think Michael is that for you. I love you, I do, and I’ll cling to our friendship forever because you’re one of the special ones and I’ll always want you in my life. But he’s got you so preoccupied lately…”_

_“I just…I don’t want to just leave. Like my dad.” He mumbled the last sentence and Bryana felt tears springing in the back of her eyes, so frustrated at what an impact he had on Ashton’s life._

_“Ash, babe, look at me.” She gently guided his face until they were face to face. “You are not your dad and you never will be. This was a mutual decision, remember? You’re not just walking out on me, okay? I want this too.”_

_He nods and whispers into her hair._

_“I’m scared, what if I ruin it all, what if he doesn’t feel the same.”_

_“Since when have you been one to be scared? Ash, you want it, fight for it! I’m not letting you ruin things with someone that you look at as if he hung the stars. He makes you happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”_

_He sniffed and kissed her forehead, mumbling against it._

_“How are you the most wonderful woman on the planet? Thank you, seriously.”_

Ashton’s snapped out of his daydream by Calum’s hand in front of his face, clicking in the annoying way he did to get attention.

“It was about Michael, right?” Calum rolls his eyes when Ashton looks surprised.

“You knew?!”

“Ash you’ve been my best friend for five years and Michael mine for nine. As if you thought I wouldn’t notice!”

“I never really realised it was that obvious…” He smiles abashedly, face slightly pink.

“Oh please, you look at each other like you’ve each hung the stars, and the moon, god, the whole fucking galaxy. It’s sickening.”

“I’m pretty sure it’s not reciprocated…” Ashton mumbles, embarrassed to be discussing his emotions in such depth with a bandmate. Particularly emotions about another bandmate. The expression both Bryana and Calum used hangs in his mind though, maybe he hadn’t been hiding his fond as well as he’d thought.

“God, how can you think that? You both need to sort your shit out because I’ve not seen Michael this whiney since him and Luke made that “who can go the longest without an orgasm” bet. That’s probably why Michael’s been so grumpy, he needs to get laid.”

Ashton’s face blushes bright beetroot and he looks away suddenly. Calum’s eyes widen in shock.

“Oh my _god_. You totally had sex didn’t you!! Didn’t you?!” He all but shouts, face turning into a smirk.

“Calum will you stop fucking shouting?! Anyone could hear!! It didn’t mean anything to him anyway. It’s fine. Also, we’re in a temple, you can’t talk about sex here.”

“You can’t just drop that bombshell and expect me to not react?! And we’re not technically inside the temple…”

“I am now!” Ashton runs off, leaping over rocks towards the entrance of the magnificent building.

“This is not over, Irwin!” Calum hollers after him, not used to the role of Responsible Bandmember **.**

Xx

Two days and approximately eight hours later, Calum has drawn up a plan. Well, it’s more like a military mission if you ask Luke, but that might be due to the alcohol swirling through his system. This holiday has been a good break from working but it sure has abused his liver. Maybe he can still do dry (end of) January…his mum would be proud.

It’s New Years’ Eve, though, surely it’s like illegal or something to not be drunk for the New Year. Although if he keeps drinking at this rate he might not even be awake to sing in 2016.

Michael stumbles over to him, a cocktail in each hand and sits on his lap, despite the three empty chairs around them. This is just how he is when he’s drunk, clingy and affectionate and adorable, and Luke’s never been one to resist his charms.

He takes one of the drinks from Michael’s hand and sips it, face scrunching up at the sickly taste.

“What is this?! I asked for a beer.”

“It’s a sex on the beach, Ashton’s favourite.”

“I bet it is.” Luke says, eyebrows raised suggestively. Michael just gives him a strange look and his eyes flick to where their friends are dancing, Bryana on Ashton’s shoulders as he pretends to drop her, her perfect body shaking with laughter, perfect hair swaying, falling perfectly onto her perfect shoulders. Michael downs his cocktail in one and stands up off of Luke to go back to the bar.

“Mikey! Wait.”

Luke stands up and stumbles a little, falling into Michael. A peal of Ashton’s infamous laughter comes from the dancefloor and the redhead sighs dramatically and that’s it. That is it. Luke can’t take it anymore, he can’t deal with Michael moping around any longer, fuck Calum’s stupid plan, they’re both too stubborn for it to ever work.

“Michael.” He says, serious voice on and the other boy laughs at him, is about to tease him when he blurts it. “Ashton’s in love with you.” And right, that’s one way to get the cat out of the bag.

“W-what?” Michael shakes his head, stepping back from Luke.

“He’s fucking in love with you and you’re both being idiots about it. Like how did you actually not think he liked you and how did he not think you liked him?! You’re both so dumb?! I wasn’t supposed to tell you ‘cause Calum has some grand plan for it to all work out at midnight. Who’d have known he was such a romantic?! Anyway I thi-”

Luke’s drunken ramble is cut off by Michael, quite literally, silencing him with a hand over his mouth.

“Luke if you don’t tell me what the fuck is going on _right this second_ I’m gonna call the LAPD and tell them you regularly illegally drink at The Nice Guy and get it shut down.”

Luke’s baby blues beg for mercy and the redhead releases him, only slightly, still with a tight grip on his sweaty shoulders.

“Calum figured out that Ashton likes you and he tried to tell Ashton that the feeling is mutual but he’s so fucking stubborn he wouldn’t believe it. Thought you’d just used him for sex or something.”

Michael rolls his eyes, of course. That’s exactly something Ashton would do, exactly something Michael would do too.

“But…Bryana? They’ve been together constantly?”

“Yeah because he’s been asking her for advice. Honestly, Mikey, it’s you he wants. Don’t worry, it was a surprise to me too…”

Michael pokes him in the ribs and he squeals.

“So what was Calum’s plan?”

“For me to not leave your side the entire night to make him jealous. I know, it’s stupid as fuck but you know what Cal’s like once he’s got his heart set on it.”

“That’s ridiculous, Ashton doesn’t even care that mu-”

Luke nudges him and gestures towards the bar where Ashton is stood, very much alone, staring at the two boys. It’s then that Michael realises how it looks from the outside, his hands on Luke’s shoulders, Luke’s fingers settled on his waist.

“Well, c’mon, let’s really give him something to talk about.”

Michael grab’s Luke’s hand and interweaves their fingers, throwing a pointed look in Ashton’s direction before strutting towards the dance floor. Luke thinks if he had hair long enough, Michael would’ve flicked it, too, always one for the dramatics.

When they reach the dancefloor, Michael wastes no time in shuffling himself in front of Luke, manhandling the taller boy’s hands onto his hips as he presses back into him. He begins a gentle grind, eyes never leaving Ashton’s across the bar.

Luke’s normally an awkward dancer, not sure where to put his hands and giraffe limbs too long to co-ordinate but he gets the message and dances effortlessly with Michael. The redhead thinks that those constant visits to that bar must be paying off, along with the alcohol lacing his blood stream.

His thoughts are cut off when he sees Ashton moving from the bar. Michael is annoyed when he sees the curly haired boy head for Calum instead of him but then something is said between them and Calum meets Michael’s eyes and smirks.

Within seconds, the steady pressure of Luke’s body against his back is gone and replaced by the ghost of Ashton’s fingertips against his neck. He can feel the body heat radiating off of the other boy’s front when they’re not even touching. Ashton’s big hands run down Michael’s back and settle on his hips, suddenly pulling the redhead into him.

Michael’s arse is flush to Ashton’s crotch and he can already feel himself getting hard at the feeling of the outline of the other boy’s dick against his arse. He’s so needy for it it’s embarrassing, just like that night in Ashton’s room. He forgets all the other people surrounding them, forgets that literally anyone can see them.

He shamelessly grinds backwards into Ashton, smirking when he feels his dick stiffen behind him. He revels in the way he feels wrapped in Ashton’s arms, the comfort he feels from them being so close. His eyes flutter shut and he’s in the middle of making a mental note to remember this moment when a loud wolf whistle fills the air.

Of course, it was to be expected when he and Ashton were being so blatant in a sea full of their friends.

“Hi.” Ashton whisper giggles into his hair, the sensuality of the moment gone, back to his cute best friends again.

“Hi yourself,” Michael grins as he spins in Ashton’s embrace and wraps his arms around his neck.

Ashton takes a deep breath and nudges his head forward, nose grazing Michael’s cheek, asking for permission. The redhead wouldn’t be able to deny him it if he tried, every nerve in his body set alight for the man in front of him.

Their lips finally meet in their softest kiss yet, just a gentle touch until Michael pulls away.

“Wait.” He says and Ashton’s eyes widen, immediately shuffling backwards to give Michael some space.

“No, no. Not like that kind of wait, just…”

Ashton rolls his eyes, now well accustomed to Michael’s inability to get his words out at the best of times, let alone when he’s drunk.

“I just, I, umm…” He swallows and Ashton can feel him trying to turn in on himself. Ashton nods encouragingly and squeezes his arms around his waist lightly.

“Okay, I like you. Like, I like like you. There, I said it, it’s out there, for you to do with what you please. I know it’s scary and potentially stupid but it’s a fact that I kinda wanna kiss you every day forever.”

Ashton’s face breaks into a grin, dimples gleaming in the light and Michael can’t help but join him, even in his nervous state.

“I like like you too, you idiot. And yes, you’re right (for once), it’s scary and stupid and has the potential to ruin us but I say why not. When we started the band, everything rested on our blind faith, on our passion and love for what we were doing, and look where that got us. So let’s do it, let’s step out into the wild, let’s jump off the clifftop, let’s freefall.”

Michael leans back and starts laughing then, full body shaking laughter and Ashton can’t help but join him.

“You’re such a fucking sap. Just shutup and kiss me.” The redhead chokes out between laughs.

And so he does. They kiss like the world depends upon it, like they’re the last two people on earth, like they need each other’s air to breathe.

It’s beautiful and wonderful until Calum hollers from across the bar “You were meant to wait till midnight so there would be fireworks and shit! It was meant to be romantic!”

The two boys smile at their thoughtful best friend but get lost in each other’s mouths shortly after. Michael shifts forward and smirks into the kiss when he feels Ashton’s half hard dick against his thigh.

“C’mon,” he whispers against Ashton’s lips, that sinful tone from the other night back again. “Let’s go do something about this.”

He presses his thigh upwards as he finishes speaking, pushing a gasp out of the older boy.

“But it’s only half an hour till midnight, shouldn’t we stay to do the countdown and then sing Old Lang Syne with everyone?”

“Nah, I can think of much better things to do with my mouth when the clock strikes midnight.”

As Ashton blindly follows Michael to his room, hand in hand, he realises he’d probably follow Michael anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SEE I SAID IT WOULD BE HAPPY YOU CAN ALL STOP SHOUTING NOW  
> SEX 2 FOLLOW


	4. you could be my way of life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my GOD i cannot believe this has taken me two months to update i am so so so sorry (blame my degree)! TO APOLOGISE HERE IS 5K OF SMUT (and also some lovey feelings) to make up for it!!!!!!
> 
> big massive humongous shoutout to [megan](http://castawaylive.tumblr.com), [besty](http://airplenes.tumblr.com) and [jamie](http://itlukey.tumblr.com) who all listened to me scream abt this fic (and p much wrote some of it too) haha you're all dirty enablers and ily all lots
> 
> okay okay okay enough rambling (its 2am and i'm seeing 5sos tomorrow WOOH i need 2 sleep)  
> LISTEN TO [THIS SONG](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-tcyHTH6LM) AND ENJOY

It takes them longer than expected to get to Michael’s room, mostly due to the frantic kisses against walls Ashton keeps trapping the redhead in. Ashton’s frantic with it, big hands gripping his hips hard, making Michael lightheaded with the thought of the bruises he’ll find there when he wakes up tomorrow.

They slowly ascend the stairs, a tangle of limbs and hands in hair, hot breath against damp skin, nothing but passion between them. When they finally reach the door to Michael’s room, Ashton’s baseball shirt is on the floor, the faint light from the window glinting off of his broad, tanned shoulders and Michael is basically drooling.

Ashton’s not really doing any better, his dick tenting comically out of his shorts, hands incapable of doing anything that involves not touching the gorgeous man in front of him. When Michael separates them for a second to reach for his room key, the older man whines high in the back of his throat and latches his lips onto the spot just below Michael’s ear.

They burst into the room and within seconds Michael is wearing nothing but his boxers and he’s pressed against the door, the cool wood soothing the hot skin of his shoulders. He would feel self conscious if it wasn’t for the way Ashton’s eyes keep raking over his body, sparkling when they land on the slowly darkening patch on Michael’s boxers.

“God, you’re so…” Ashton growls against his lips, nipping at them playfully as his fingertips dance down the redhead’s body, landing just above the waistband of his boxers.

“I’m so...what?” Michael smirks up at him, cocky for someone whose dick is in very close proximity to Ashton’s hand.

“I don’t know,” Ashton shakes his head, smiling at his feet before looking back up at the redhead. “You’re just so, you. I love it.”

He giggles again and Michael thinks back to the copious amount of cocktails he’d seen Ashton consuming that evening. He joins his laughter and crowds into his space, kissing along his jaw up to his ear.

“And you’re a sap, I love it.”

Ashton turns his head to connect their lips and slowly pushes his hands into Michael’s boxers, inching them down his thighs until Michael snaps and pushes him away gently, kicking out of them so quickly Ashton’s concerned he’ll fall over.

The redhead approaches the older boy and connects their lips again, this time setting his own pace, nothing sweet or gentle about this kiss. He licks into Ashton’s mouth hotly as Ashton takes his hand and shuffles them towards the bed.

They fall somewhat inelegantly onto it, a tangle of limbs and desire but Ashton thinks he wouldn’t want it any other way, wouldn’t want Michael any other way. Michael crawls up the bed, kneeling on either side of Ashton’s hips, pale fingers softly tracing the lines of his abs. He leans down and kisses the older boy on the lips before leaving light, wet kisses down his throat. He opens his mouth and breathes over the tanned boy’s nipple, smirking when he arches up beneath him.

Ashton’s fingers dig into the mattress beneath him, anticipating Michael’s next moves as he shifts lower, stopping just above the tent of Ashton’s shorts. His fingers slowly slide beneath the waistband, two pairs of eyes following his every move, Ashton’s heart thumping so hard he’s pretty sure Michael can hear it.

The redhead mouths at the skin his fingers are uncovering, breathing hot and heavy just above Ashton’s dick. The older boy is about to make a comment about Michael being eager when he’s suddenly encased in the tight heat of Michael’s mouth, causing him to buck his hips up in a very uncool way.

“Fuck, Mike…” he gets out between pants, hands automatically falling into Michael’s hair, tugging at the strands, both trying to pull him closer and push him away at the same time.

The redhead mouths around the head, tongue slipping into the slit, coaxing the most beautiful sounds out of the boy above him. He sinks down, taking Ashton’s dick like an actual pro and he can’t help but congratulate him, has absolutely no filter on the garbage coming out of his mouth.

“Doing so good babe, fuck, letting me fuck your mouth, being so good for me. Can’t believe how good this feels, I love how you feel around me, I lo-” He sighs, scared of what else might slip out.

Michael closes his eyes at Ashton’s words, dark eyelashes contrasting his flushed cheeks, mouth continuing to work its way down Ashton’s shaft. It takes him a moment to realise that Michael’s touching himself, grinding the heel of his hand against his covered dick, humming around Ashton when it feels good.

Ashton throws his head back, unable to look at Michael’s scarlet lips wrapped around his dick.

“Mike, we got-” he cuts himself off with a groan as his dick hits the back of Michael’s throat. “We gotta, we can,  _ fuck _ , we gotta slow down.”

Michael pulls off with a pop, lips looking sinful as they turn into a smirk, saliva and precome coating them so they shine in the light.

“Promised I’d make you come at midnight, gotta get you there…” He ducks down again and mouths at the underside of Ashton’s dick but the older boy cups his face with his hands, making him look up.

“And I appreciate that, but keep going the way you were and you’re gonna make me come significantly before midnight…as in like, in the next few minutes.”

Michael flashes his signature smirk, eyes sparkling with defiance.

“Well then, maybe I’ll have to make you come twice.”

Ashton’s hands move from their gentle position on Michael’s cheeks to the back of his neck, pulling him forwards until their lips collide.

Michael melts into the kiss, letting his tongue caress Ashton’s, letting him taste his own precome on the redheads lips. Ashton’s grip shifts down Michael’s sides, pushing his boxers down in desperation, hands cupping his arse cheeks. Michael groans as he’s flipped over effortlessly, as if he’s not been consuming curry and beer all day every day for the last fortnight.

The older boy grinds down, hard, and Michael eyes roll back in his head at the feeling of Ashton’s damp dick against his own, finally getting the friction he’s been craving since that night earlier in the week. 

Ashton sets a slow, torturous pace, hands still on Michael’s arse, pulling him up into an easy grind. He catches himself watching the redhead’s face intently, leaning down to kiss the crease in Michael’s forehead when he frowns, mouth wide open from the feeling of Ashton on top of him.

“Can you, Ash, please, please can you go faster?”

The boy on top of him stops completely, punching a high whine from the back of Michael’s throat. Ashton reaches for his phone on the bedside table and lights it up.

“It’s only 11.38, we got some time, babe.”

He kisses Michael’s lips sweetly before extracting himself from the boy beneath him and standing up.

“Where the fuck are you going now?!” The redhead demands, sitting up.

Ashton looks up and can’t help his laugh. Michael is sitting on the bed, arms crossed, pout protruding from his lips and painfully red dick protruding from his crotch.

“What are you laughing at?!  _ Ash... _ ” He begins to whine but stops when he looks down and sees himself.

“Well, it’s your fault!” He near-shouts, “Come back and do something about it!”

Ashton laughs again, “I was actually gonna grab some lube, unless you wanted me to fuck you with sun cream….?”

Michael sighs and throws himself back on the bed dramatically even though they both know Ashton’s right.

It only takes him a minute or so to locate lube and a condom before he returns to the bed and his breath hitches in his throat. He hasn’t been able to  stop staring at Michael all evening, but this time it’s not because he looks ridiculous. No, no, he looks anything but.

His lean body is stretched across the double bed, skin slightly more tanned than usual but still deliciously pale, the (almond) milk to Ashton’s caramel latte. His head is thrown back on the pillow, fringe damp with sweat and stuck to his forehead, eyes closed in bliss.

He’s fisting his cock desperately, despite Ashton’s previous suggestion to slow it down, and Ashton can see the flushed head slip out of his hand every time it moves. His scarlet lips are parted, breaths coming out in quick succession and Ashton’s eyes are roaming his body. He literally can’t look away, mesmerised by the boy in front of him, can’t believe this is the same guy who used to make Justin Bieber lip sync videos on YouTube.

Suddenly, Michael’s left eye pops open as he feels Ashton’s stare and a smirk draws across his lips. Ashton can’t help the flush across his face as he realises he’s been caught, wants to wipe the smug look off Michael’s face.

“Why don’t you take a picture? It’ll last longer…” The redhead says, the playfulness in his voice contrasting with the sight of him on the bed.

“ _ Because _ …” Ashton whispers, slowly crawling back over Michael but not letting their bodies touch, holding himself up on his forearms either side of Michael’s head. “Unlike you, I’d rather the whole world doesn’t know about this band’s sordid gay secrets.”

Michael arches up beneath him, purposefully brushing their crotches together before mouthing at Ashton’s throat, teeth gently scraping the skin next to his adam’s apple.

“Why?” His voice has dropped to a whisper, all playfulness gone. Ashton recognises the sinful tone and knows he’s a goner. “Don’t you want the whole world to know I’m yours, Ash? Want them to know how hard you got me, how good you make me feel?” 

He wraps his legs around Ashton’s hips and connects his ankles behind his back, letting Ashton feel his throbbing dick.

“Maybe you should take a photo, post it on twitter, cover me in bites and bruises and leave them all wondering who did it, who I belong to, who’s my  _ daddy.”  _

The final word is whispered and is all it takes for Ashton to suddenly shift his arms and drop on top of Michael, punching a moan out of the boy beneath him.

Ashton presses their lips together desperately but hardly gives Michael time to respond to the kiss before he’s kissing down Michael’s throat, across his pale collarbones and down his soft stomach, occasionally leaving red marks in his wake.

The boy beneath him is so responsive it turns Ashton on even more, if that’s possible. Michael’s hands thread their way into Ashton’s curls and tug lightly, encouraging him.

“C’mon, please, Ash, please touch me.”

Ashton sucks a particularly hard mark into his hip bone, causing Michael to buck up before smartly retorting “I am touching you.”

Michael tugs his hair harder and Ashton takes that as his cue to stop teasing. He shuffles further down the bed, between Michael’s knees and squeezes a liberal amount of lube onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm it up slightly before slowly reaching and feeling between Michael’s cheeks.

“I’ve never done this before…” He whispers against Michael’s leg, half hoping the other boy won’t have heard him over his pants. “So just like, tell me if I’m doing it right.”

He doesn’t know why he feels so embarrassed, it’s fairly normal for a fairly straight man to have not fingered a dude in his band, or any other dude for that matter. It suddenly dawns on him that Michael is so much more experienced than him in this field, that for the first time he feels like the younger man.

“Hey, babe,” Michael has sat up and his hands have moved round to Ashton’s face and are making him look up at him. “It’s fine, you’re fine.” He takes Ashton’s free hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it gently. “It’s easier than it looks, I promise. I trust you.”

These gentle words and the sincerity in Michael’s eyes are all Ashton needs to feel convinced. He resettles himself and begins gently stroking between Michael’s cheeks, feeling more confident at each sound that falls from Michael’s lips. He looks up and catches the redhead’s eye, who nods at him.

Ashton slowly presses his index finger inside of Michael and can’t believe how tight and warm he feels. He can’t tear his eyes away from where Michael is welcoming him in, swallowing him up. Can’t even begin to imagine how good it’s gonna feel around his dick. Slowly, he adds more fingers, stretching and scissoring them to open Michael up for him. The boy beneath him is writhing around on the bed, strings of profanities and Ashton’s name falling from his mouth.

Ashton is so mesmerised at the scene in front of his eyes he barely realises what’s happening until he feels the bite of Michael’s fingernails against his wrist.

“Ash, Ash, Ash,” He pants, “I’m ready, ready for you.”

The older boy gently pulls his fingers out and leans up to kiss Michael, filthily pressing his tongue into his mouth as he did his fingers into his arse just seconds before.

Michael whines when Ashton pulls away from the kiss, but when feels the older boy fumbling around on the bed for the condom, he stops and sits up.

“Can we, umm..” Ashton is surprised at the redhead’s tentative tone and stops his searching to look into Michael’s earnest eyes.

“Do you mind if we...can we, like…” The older boy is concerned, not used to a Michael who doesn’t blurt out his thoughts the minute he has them.

“Babe,” Ashton’s voice grounds Michael the way it always does, whether it’s pre-show nerves of pre-therapy nerves or apparently, pre-sex nerves. It dawns on Michael that he’s never felt this nervous about sex before, it’s never meant this much to him before. He takes a deep breath and mumbles something incoherent, causing Ashton to lean down and connect their lips.

“What’s up?”

Michael uses his actions instead of his words and strokes Ashton’s jaw, loving the feeling of the stubble against his fingers.

“I, umm, I wanna feel you…” Ashton frowns at him confused and Michael holds back a laugh at the look on his face.

“Like…?” Ashton prompts.

“Like, just you...no condom.”

Ashton sighs in relief, an adorable (and completely inappropriate for the situation) giggle bubbling out of him.

“Oh my  _ god _ , Michael,” he laughs, peppering the redhead’s face in kisses. “I thought you were gonna ask me something fucking crazy, like I was scared you were gonna ask me to like, I don’t know, to pee on you or something…”

Michael bursts out laughing, sparkling eyes glistening with threatening tears as he throws his head back.

“Hey, don’t laugh at me! I’m in waaay past my comfort zone here..” Ashton attempts to defend himself as Michael’s laughter dies down.

“Sorry, sorry.” Michael’s still smirking. “Okay, tomorrow I promise we’ll discuss both of our forbidden fantasies and you opinions on watersports…”

Ashton looks confused at the word and Michael laughs again.

“Okay, okay seriously, please can you just fuck me now?” The pout he punctuates his sentence with is too cute to resist and it occurs to Ashton that maybe he’s never been able to resist it, maybe they were always meant to end up here, in bed, together.

He kisses his way back down Michael’s body, blowing air teasingly over his cock and gently slipping his fingers inside of him once again.

“ _ Ash,” _ And it’s the broken sound that Michael makes that urges Ashton to stop teasing, instead reaching for the lube and slicking himself up with it. He can’t quite register how good it’s gonna feel to be inside Michael, nothing separating them, feeling every millimetre of Michael’s body.

Michael’s breath is hot on Ashton’s skin, adding to the insufferable heat of the room. His words aren’t doing much to settle the situation either.

“Can’t wait to feel you inside me, Ash, I’ve wanted this for so long, thought about it all the time. Not just the last week but like,” he sighs “ _ years _ , Ash, pretty sure I’ve wanted this for years.”

Ashton’s hand feels too good on his dick and Michael’s words feel too good in his ears, he’s absolutely overwhelmed with emotions. As he lines himself up, he crawls over Michael’s body, and connects their lips in a short kiss.

“Me too, Mikey, me too.” He feels something similar to tears build up in the back of his throat so he coughs and says “Ready?”

Michael all but begs, breath coming out of his mouth in short pants as he feels Ashton’s dick catch on his rim.

Both boys sigh in pleasure as Ashton pushes in, Michael’s body opening for him, taking him so well. It’s a stretch but Michael welcomes it, tiny whimpers falling from his mouth with each shift of Ashton’s hips. By the time he bottoms out, Ashton’s pretty sure he’s stopped breathing. It’s just so so tight and warm inside, pressing on every inch of his dick and when the redhead shifts beneath him, Ashton sees galaxies inside of his eyelids. It’s funny, he thinks, how if he opened his eyes he’d see galaxies in Michael’s eyes too. It’s the other boy’s voice that makes his eyes snap open, immediately connecting with the ones beneath him.

“Oh my fucking god.” Michael whimpers, eyes fluttering open and shut. “Fuck, Ash,  _ Fuck. _ ”

Ashton would agree with him if he could do anything other than concentrate on not coming there and then.

“Fuck, I can feel you so deep, so so deep. You gotta move, please move, Ash, please..”

Michael’s so desperate he’s nearly babbling but Ashton’s lack of response has him fall silent.

“Are you okay, Ash?”

His eyebrows are drawn and his jaw is tight.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just,  _ fuck. _ ”

Michael laughs beneath him and Ashton feels him clench around his entire length and nearly screams in pleasure.

“Just, give me a minute.” 

He can’t focus on anything other than where the two boys are connected, how good Michael feels around him and how soft he feels beneath his body, every inch of their bare skin touching.

Michael stays as still as he can for a few short seconds but then he shifts and it’s all Ashton can do to not grip his hips and fuck into him as hard as he can. He shakes himself out of this weird, weightless feeling and pulls out slightly, rocking forward in a short, shallow thrust.

If the sound Michael makes says anything, Ashton figures the redhead must be enjoying this as much as he is. His pace slowly builds up, until he’s literally fucking into Michael, hands so strong on his lips he must be leaving bruises.

Michael’s body is nearly limp beneath him, letting himself be fucked, occasionally meeting his thrusts halfway. Ashton startles when the redhead brushes Ashton’s hair off his forehead and tucks it behind his ear.

“God, Ash,” He starts, his voice sounding as fucked as his body is, fingers grazing down Ashton’s shoulders to his biceps, clinging tightly to them.  “You look so good, like you were made to do this.”

Ashton’s heart swells in his chest and he leans down to connect their lips in a heated kiss, both boys panting desperately into it. The older boy changes the angle slightly, pulling one of Michael’s legs higher up on his hip and he knows he’s found Michael’s spot when he bites Ashton’s lip accidentally.

“Fuck, right there Ash, yeah, baby.”

The whimpers and moans Michael makes sound straight out of a porn film and Ashton can’t help but groan, teeth scraping over his neck and collarbones.

“Ash, I’m so close, please,  _ please _ …” 

Michael clenches around him as he nears his climax and as Ashton opens his mouth, he has absolutely no control of the praise that falls out of it, telling Michael how good he is for him, how much he loves him like this, how he can’t believe they didn’t start doing this sooner.

“Can I…” the redhead interrupts Ashton’s babbling and the older boy feels the coil in his stomach tighten as he realises Michael is literally asking Ashton for permission to come, like how is this actually happening, how is this Ashton’s life?

“Fuck, yeah,” he whispers, voice scratchy and raw, “Come for me, Mikey.”

The redhead’s back arches as he spills between them, hands pulling Ashton down into his space, breathing into his mouth hotly as his dick continues kicking out come.

Ashton pulls away slightly and looks down in awe but Michael doesn’t give him a second to breathe before he’s wrapping his legs tighter around Ashton’s hips, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling from having just come down from his high.

“Don’t you want me to..” Ashton gestures down at their crotches, grimacing subconsciously at the thought of pulling out of the tight heat.

“No, Ash, want you to come in me.” Ashton shudders and nods, continuing his slow pace, fingers curling into the bedsheets either side of Michael’s head as he somehow makes himself tighter.

“Can you like, talk?” Ashton says in a tight, burying his face into Michael’s shoulder.

“Ash, babe, want you to come in me. Wanna feel you fill me up, stretch me out and then fill me with your come. Wanna still be able to feel it tomorrow morning, every time i sit down, remember you inside me, your thick cock stretching me.”

Ashton’s panting becomes erratic as he thrusts in harder, stomach muscles tightening with each of Michael’s words.

“C’mon, Ash, come. Come in me,  _ daddy. _ ”

And it’s the final word that sets Ashton off, the way it slips off of Michael’s tongue, his voice breathy and low, a purr against Ashton’s damp skin.

Ashton feels like he comes for eternities, with every fibre of his being. It’s like all he can see and feel and hear is the redhead beneath him, clenching around him, hugging him tight and whispering in his ear.

Xx

When Ashton blinks his eyes open he’s met with a concerned looking Michael just centimetres from his face.

“Are you okay? Fuck I thought you’d passed out then. What a way to go, death by sex.”

Ashton laughs, kneeling up and slowly easing himself out of Michael.

“Yeah, I’m just, fuck, that was amazing.”

Michael winces as he pulls out but grabs Ashton and drags him back down into his arms immediately, refusing for the older boy to even grab a towel to clean them.

“Can we talk about how you’re potentially the kinkiest member of this band and I had no idea?!”

Ashton blushes but flicks Michael on the ear. “You literally just begged me to not use a condom so you could feel me come inside of you and you’re calling  _ me _ the kinky one?!”

“Alright, Dad-”

“Enough.” Ashton cuts him off, kissing the crease between his eyebrows.

He settles back down into the bed, letting himself be manhandled until Michael has him where he wants him, the redhead curled until his chest, hands resting on his toned stomach.

Ashton smiles to himself at how Michael has literally plastered himself to him, how he just had sex with his best friend and the world hasn’t like, imploded yet or anything, how he’s probably gonna have sex with his best friend again and it’s probably gonna be even more awesome than that.

Michael snuggles into his chest further, lips catching on his damn skin as he murmurs, “What time is it?”

“How am I meant to know?

“Check your phone?”

Ashton huffs, begins to mutter about how Michael could check  _ his _ phone but he reaches for the bedside anyway, both boys knowing Ashton would probably kick Luke out the band if Michael asked him to. God Calum really had been right all along about how gone Ashton is for the boy.

Michael eyes are closed when Ashton speaks, hair lightly tickling the older man’s chin.

“Shit, it’s not even midnight?”

“Wait, seriously?” Michael grabs the phone out of his hand, checking the clock as if Ashton is suddenly incapable of telling the time. “Awh man, I wanted for us to both come at midnight…” 

He begins to whine, genuinely upset at their oversight of the time whilst they were literally fucking.

“S’okay, guess we’ll just have to come again after midnight…” Ashton says with a smirk, hand stroking its way lower down Michael’s back until it’s resting just over the curve of his arse, fingers threatening to feel their way between his cheeks.

“Sick blink reference.” Michael smirks before kissing up Ashton’s neck to his lips. “Game on.”

Xx

It’s ten minutes before breakfast closes when Michael and Ashton appear in the garden, both looking a little sheepish. It takes Calum approximately 0.3 seconds to realise that Ashton is wearing Michael’s clothes and Michael’s collarbone and neck are littered with lovebites.

The brown boy raises an eyebrow across the table at them, clearing his throat loudly and causing the array of their friends to stop their conversations and look up at the two boys. There’s a beat of silence until they all begin talking at once, waves of ‘fucking finally’ and ‘you owe me ten’ drifting over Ashton’s head.

He just kisses Michael’s shoulder and walks towards the buffet, smiling to himself. Michael sits down and begins an in depth conversation with Alex about different breakfast juices and Calum sidles up to Ashton as he’s ladling a disproportionate amount of pineapple onto his plate.

Calum eyes it warily and laughs.

“Do I even want to know?”

Ashton smirks and shakes his head but Calum ignores it and instead hastily pulls the older boy into a hug.

“Are you happy? You seem happy. I really really want you to be happy, both of you.”

Ashton beams at him, squeezing him tighter into the hug.

“I really, really am. I mean, we still need to talk about a few things and like, work out where we go from here but I’m pretty sure we’re on the same page.”

“I truly am happy for you, Ash. But I guess we’re gonna have to start laying down some ground rules about sex on the tourbus and stuff…”

They both laugh and head back to the table to join the others. Michael shifts his chair closer to Matt’s next to him so there’s space for Ashton to pull up a stool. The older man sits with a small space between them but Michael immediately corrects it, shuffling in so his arm is resting along the length of Ashton’s thigh.

Ashton looks up and Bryana catches his eyes across the table, smiling and nodding approvingly. He feels warm inside that he’s actually gonna be able to keep up his friendship with her despite all that’s happened. 

Next, he looks at Luke who looks a little confused, drawn into a conversation with Crystal next to him but continuously glancing across at the two boys. Ashton can literally see the cogs turning in his head and he waits for the penny to drop.

“Wait!” Luke suddenly shouts, standing up abruptly, knocking his fork to the ground in the process.

“Did you two…” he points between them, mouth opening and closing. Calum pats him on the back and drags him back down, whispering pointedly in his ear.

“Oooooooh.” Luke says, smiling apologetically at Michael and Ashton.

Ashton just smiles back but Michael takes the opportunity to clear his throat and stand up. Ashton can’t help but think if any more people stand up it’s gonna start looking like a wedding or something.

Before he knows what’s happening, the (expensive and very mature) watch that normally sits on Ashton’s wrist is being removed by Michael’s small hands. The redhead throws his arm in the air dramatically and announces to the table,

“Look. We’re together. Like officially, the two of us are together. As boyfriends.”

Ashton stands up looking confused.

“What is...this?” He points to the watch on Michael’s wrist.

Calum sighs, rolling his eyes.

“It’s from that stupid chick flick he always makes us watch, about the psycho girls who try to get their own back on the fit guy?”

“Ohhh. But Mikey, aren’t I meant to give you my watch, like isn’t that what happens? I feel it loses its sentiment if you steal it from me…”

Their friends are all laughing by this point and Ashton’s pretty sure he can see Alex sneaking a photo of Michael with his arm still in the air.

“C’mon, let’s just eat.”

Everyone resumes conversation as the two boys sit back down again, this time Michael so close to Ashton he’s basically in his lap.

“Did you mean that?” The older boy broaches the topic far too shyly for someone who’d had his dick in Michael arse less than half an hour previously. “About boyfriends?”

The redhead laughs and leans his head against Ashton’s shoulder.

“Of course I did. Wanna be your boyfriend. I know we haven’t really discussed it yet but like I’m guessing that’s where this heading?”

Their voices have dropped lower, just above a murmur so their conversation can’t be heard by the others.

“Sure, babe, I definitely want that to be where this is heading. This is what I want,  _ you _ are what I want.”

Michael leans up and kisses his lips softly, hand grazing Ashton’s cheek for longer than necessary.

He pulls back slightly and whispers against Ashton’s lips.

“I can’t wait to introduce you to my parents, you were always their favourite." He sighs softly and his eyes flutter open, sparkling eyes full of galaxies that Ashton would gladly get lost in forever. _Will_ get lost in forever. "Guess you were always mine, too.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> w o w what a ROLLERCOASTER of a ride (i definitely feel like i just sinned whilst writing that) oh well im sure i'll be joining most of u in hell
> 
> if you want you should [come be my friend](https://cashtontrash.tumblr.com) on tumblr and whilst you're at it, it would be really awesome if you could reblog this fic [here](http://cashtontrash.tumblr.com/post/142767149247/step-out-into-the-wild-pairing-michael) (look i made such a pretty edit im proud)! 
> 
> thank you for all sticking around, you're all literally the best.  
> i'll see u next time for some more bali fic ;)  
> lots of love,  
> D xxxx


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